scat singing

American  

noun

Jazz.

1. singing in which the singer substitutes improvised nonsense syllables for the words of a song, and tries to sound and phrase like a musical instrument.

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Etymology

Origin of scat singing

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Newly christened, she became known for scat singing, a vocal style that originated with ragtime - which enabled her to improvise melodies using her voice as an instrument.

From BBC • Jul. 25, 2025

The vocal improvisations of scat singing greats like Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Cab Calloway provided inspiration, though here, of course, the effect is precisely scripted.

From New York Times • Feb. 8, 2023

In this tribute to jazz great Ella Fitzgerald, Harris and Jakel ricocheted around the stage in perfect synchrony, matching Fitzgerald’s scat singing with their own dazzling, full-body, frequently airborne execution.

From Washington Post • Dec. 6, 2017

Pocock’s natural, unpretentious scat singing is an added attraction, and so is her songwriting.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 20, 2017

Clearly realising that just extending every song with about six weeks of scat singing wasn't cutting it in an increasingly crowded market, she wheeled out her terrifying secret weapon: interpretative dance.

From The Guardian • Apr. 1, 2010